COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, state by state: March 16

The CDC issued recommendations for who should receive COVID-19 vaccinations first, second, third and so on, but each state has developed its own plan for deciding how groups of people will be prioritized. 

Here are notes on who is eligible in each state in addition to healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities.

Data was collected March 15 and 16. Each state entry contains at least one link to the state homepage for further information and specifications on eligibility requirements. 

 

Alabama

  • People age 65 or older
  • First responders and other critical workers
  • Starting March 22, people age 55 or older; people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and people age 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions that include but are not limited to the those listed here are eligible 
  • Source

Alaska

  • Anyone living or working in Alaska age 16 or older
  • Source

Arizona

  • Eligibility by age varies by county: Age 65+ is eligible in three counties, age 55+ in 10 and age 16+ in two
  • Front-line essential workers 
  • Source 

Arkansas 

  • Groups in 1A and 1B, the latter of which includes those 65 years or older; education workers; first responders; people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and other essential workers
  • Source

California

  • Groups in 1A and 1B, the latter of which includes those 65 years or older; education workers; first responders; people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and other essential workers
  • Effective March 15, healthcare providers may use clinical judgement to vaccinate individuals age 16 to 64 deemed to be at the highest risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 as a direct result of one or more of the severe health conditions included here
  • Source

Colorado

  • Residents age 60 or older
  • People with two or more high-risk conditions
  • First responders and other essential workers, including those in funeral services, education and child care 
  • Eligibility opens to residents age 50 or older March 19
  • Source

Connecticut 

  • People age 55 or older
  • First responders and workers in education and child care
  • Residents and staff in select congregate settings
  • People age 45 to 54 are eligible March 19
  • People age 16+ are eligible April 5
  • Source

Delaware

  • Groups in 1A and 1B, the latter of which includes those 65 years or older; education workers; first responders and other essential workers
  • Source

Florida 

  • People age 60 or older, effective March 15
  • Education workers; first responders and other essential workers
  • All individuals authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccinations may vaccinate people determined by a physician to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19
  • Source

Georgia

  • People age 55 or older, effective March 15
  • Education workers; first responders and other essential workers 
  • The state expanded eligibility requirements for those with disabilities, and people with certain medical conditions (listed here) are also eligible 
  • Source

Hawaii

  • People age 65 or older
  • People on dialysis; people with severe respiratory disease who are on oxygen; and/or people undergoing chemotherapy or other infusion therapy
  • Individuals with chronic medical conditions that make them vulnerable to COVID-19
  • Front-line essential workers in phase 1b and essential workers in phase 1c
  • Source 

Idaho

  • People age 65 or older
  • People age 55 to 64 with at least one medical condition
  • First responders and other essential workers covered by 1b
  • Source

Illinois 

  • People age 65 or older
  • People age 16 or older with disabilities or underlying conditions
  • First responders, K-12 education workers, and workers in food and agriculture, manufacturing, public transit and other essential functions 
  • Corrections workers and inmates
  • Source

Indiana

  • Residents age 45 or older 
  • Specific groups of people at highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 who are identified by their healthcare provider
  • Education workers and first responders 
  • Source

Iowa

  • Groups in 1A and 1B, the latter of which includes those 65 years or older; education workers; first responders and other essential workers
  • Source

Kansas

  • Groups in phases 1 and 2, the latter of which includes those 65 years or older; education workers; first responders and other essential workers
  • Source

Kentucky

  • People age 60 or older
  • Individuals aged 16 years or older with certain medical conditions 
  • All essential workers
  • Source

Louisiana 

  • People 65 or older
  • Individuals aged 16 years or older with certain medical conditions 
  • Pregnant women, regardless of age
  • Dialysis providers and patients 
  • Source 

Maine

  • People age 60 or older
  • Pre-K through 12 teachers and school staff and workers at licensed child care facilities
  • People age 50 or older are eligible April 1 
  • Source

Maryland

  • People 65 or older
  • Individuals with certain medical conditions who are currently receiving hospital-based treatment
  • Front-line essential workers, including teachers, veterinarians, public transportation workers, clergy and first responders 
  • Source

Massachusetts 

  • People 65 or older
  • Individuals 16 or older with two or more of certain medical conditions
  • Education workers and first responders 
  • Residents and staff of public and private low-income and affordable senior housing
  • Source

Michigan 

  • People 65 or older
  • People age 50 or older with medical conditions and/or disabilities
  • People age 16 and up who have disabilities and/or medical conditions, as well as their caregiver family members and guardians are eligible March 22
  • People age 16 and up who were not previously eligible will be eligible to receive a vaccine April 5
  • Source a and source b

Minnesota 

  • People age 65 or older
  • People age 45 or older with one or more underlying medical conditions, listed here
  • People age 16 or older with two or more underlying medical conditions, listed here
  • People age 50 or older in multigenerational housing 
  • Source

Mississippi 

  • People age 50 or older
  • People age 16 to 49 with a chronic health condition that may put them at higher risk from COVID-19, specified here
  • First responders and teachers 
  • Everyone who lives in Mississippi will be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 16, Gov. Tate Reeves tweeted March 15, though the state's public health department's website has not been updated to reflect the governor's announcement. "Starting tomorrow, ALL new appointments will be open to ALL Mississippians," Mr. Reeves wrote. "Get your shots, friends - and let's get back to normal!" No COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized yet in the U.S. for children, so the eligibility presumably extends only to adults, reports The New York Times.
  • Source 

Missouri

  • People age 65 or older
  • Adults with underlying medical conditions, listed here
  • First responders and workers in emergency services and public health infrastructure
  • Workers in critical infrastructure, including education, child care, government and transportation 
  • Source

Montana 

  • People age 60 or older
  • People age 16 to 59 with underlying medical conditions listed here
  • Native Americans and other people of color at elevated risk for COVID-19 complications 
  • Source

Nebraska 

  • People age 65 or older
  • Teachers, first responders, and people in group settings like residential treatment centers and homeless shelters
  • Source

Nevada 

  • Each county in Nevada has its own COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, found here

New Hampshire

  • People age 65 or older
  • People who are medically vulnerable
  • Residents of intellectual and developmental disability facilities
  • Correctional facility staff and first responders 
  • At-risk staff who work in K-12 schools, licensed child care facilities and licensed youth camps are eligible March 17
  • People age 50 or older are eligible March 25
  • Source

New Jersey 

  • People age 65 or older
  • People age 16 to 64 with underlying medical conditions
  • Education workers, first responders and transportation workers
  • Front-line workers in more labor categories will be eligible March 29
  • Source

New Mexico

  • People age 75 or older 
  • People age 16 or older at risk of COVID-19 complications
  • K-12 educators, early childhood professionals and school staff
  • Source

New York

  • People age 60 or older 
  • People with underlying health conditions 
  • Hotel workers who have direct contact with guests
  • Restaurant workers and delivery workers
  • First responders and public transit and transportation workers 
  • Education workers, including preschool through 12 staff and in-person college instructors 
  • Public-facing government and public employees; nonprofit workers who provide public-facing services to New Yorkers in need; and essential in-person public-facing building service workers will be eligible March 17
  • Source

North Carolina

  • People age 65 or older
  • Front-line essential workers 
  • Source

North Dakota

  • People age 65 or older 
  • People with one underlying health condition
  • Essential workers, including those in the National Guard, information technology and public transport
  • Source

Ohio

  • People age 50 or older 
  • Pregnant women
  • People with ALS, bone marrow transplant recipients and people with Type 1 diabetes
  • People who work in certain occupations, including child care, funeral services, law enforcement and correction services
  • Source

Oklahoma

  • People 65 or older
  • Any adult with comorbidities
  • First responders and front-line public health workers
  • Teachers, critical infrastructure workers, child care providers and individuals in congregate locations
  • Source

Oregon

  • People 65 or older
  • All educators, school staff and child care providers 
  • Residents 45 or older with underlying health conditions will be eligible starting March 29, as listed here
  • Source

Pennsylvania

  • People 65 or older
  • People 16 or older with high-risk conditions 
  • Philadelphia County is a separate vaccine jurisdiction and has its own eligibility phases
  • Source

Rhode Island

  • People 60 or older
  • People 16 or older with underlying health conditions
  • First responders and people in congregate settings
  • Teachers, school staff and child care workers
  • Source

South Carolina

  • People age 55 or older
  • People age 16 or older with high-risk medical conditions, listed here 
  • Front-line workers with increased occupational risk, including those in schools, day care centers, manufacturing, grocery stores and law enforcement 
  • Source

South Dakota

  • People age 65 or older
  • Dialysis, post-transplant and active cancer patients
  • People with underlying medical conditions, listed here
  • Teachers and staff at schools and colleges
  • Funeral service workers 
  • Source

Tennessee

  • Each county in Tennessee has its own COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, found here

Texas

  • People 50 or older
  • People 16 or older with a condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 
  • School and child care personnel 
  • Source

Utah

  • People 50 or older
  • People 16 or older with certain medical conditions 
  • First responders, teachers and school staff 
  • Source

Vermont

  • People 65 or older
  • People 16 or older with high-risk health conditions
  • School staff, child care workers and people who work in the public safety system
  • Source

Virginia

  • People 65 or older
  • People 16 or older with a high-risk medical condition or disability that increases the risk of severe COVID-19
  • Front-line essential workers and people living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters and migrant labor camps
  • Source

Washington

  • People 65 or older
  • People 50 or older who live in a multigenerational household
  • All workers in health settings who are at risk of COVID-19 
  • First responders, educators, school staff and child care workers
  • Source

West Virginia

  • People 50 or older
  • People 16 or older with chronic medical conditions and considered at high-risk 
  • Essential workers 16 or older 
  • Teachers 40 years or older
  • Source 

Wisconsin

  • People 65 or older
  • Police, fire personnel and correctional staff
  • Educators and child care workers
  • Individuals in Medicaid long-term programs
  • Some public-facing essential workers and non-front-line essential healthcare workers
  • Individuals age 16 or older with certain medical conditions will be eligible beginning March 29, listed here
  • Source

Wyoming

  • Each county in Wyoming has its own COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, found here

 

 

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